"He contracted a viral heart disease. He's taken the special medicine and is currently recovering," Bardock replied, his tone tinged with a hint of concern.
"Oh..." Raditz nodded and said nothing more, merely gazing silently at Gine on the bed with a complex expression.
That evening, Chi-Chi and Videl spent the better part of the day busy in the kitchen, preparing a large table full of sumptuous dishes. Their hands were aching from the effort.
With another Saiyan in the house, the sheer amount of food required was enough to give anyone a headache.
It's worth mentioning that Old Man Gee had already transferred his assets to Videl. With this money, the Son family would have enough to eat for over ten years, which essentially solved a major problem.
After dinner, everyone sat in the courtyard to rest. Raditz couldn't help himself; feeling a bit bored, he stood up and casually patted Gohan's shoulder.
"Kid, how about the two of us have a little spar?" Raditz suggested, a competitive glint in his eyes.
Upon hearing this, Bardock immediately glared at Raditz, signaling him not to go looking for a beating.
"Dad, I'm just going to spar with Gohan. I won't hurt him; after all, he's my brother's son," Raditz hurriedly chuckled and grinned, trying to reassure Bardock.
"Whatever you want," Bardock said indifferently, no longer stopping him.
"I want to play too! I want to play too!" Goten, hearing the word "spar," immediately rubbed his hands together excitedly and shouted, eager to give it a try.
"In that case... why don't you two come at me together?" Raditz smiled even more brilliantly, looking completely confident.
"Together?" Gohan quietly wiped away a non-existent bead of sweat from his forehead and asked somewhat helplessly, "Uncle Raditz, are you serious?"
"Of course I'm serious. Would I joke with you?" Raditz said solemnly, his tone certain.
"Raditz, can you transform into a Super Saiyan?" Bardock couldn't help himself; he glanced sideways at Raditz and asked flatly.
"Super Saiyan? The legendary Super Saiyan?" Raditz froze for a moment, his mouth twitching in disbelief.
This topic change was far too sudden. We were talking about sparring; how did it suddenly jump to Super Saiyan?
"Dad, you're joking, right? How could I possibly be a Super Saiyan?" Raditz shook his head and laughed. "Doesn't the legendary Super Saiyan only appear once every thousand years? How could I have that kind of luck?"
"What Grandpa means is... a regular Super Saiyan," Gohan explained from the side. "The Legendary Super Saiyan is Broly, and there really is only one of him."
As soon as these words were spoken, not only did Raditz freeze, but even Bardock's eyes widened. He immediately turned to look at Gohan, his eyes filled with shock.
"Broly? That's a Saiyan name! Is he the Legendary Super Saiyan?" Bardock asked urgently, his voice trembling slightly.
Gohan nodded, confirming his statement.
"Uncle Broly is super strong! Dad fights him for a long time every time they spar," Goten chimed in, gesturing excitedly as he explained with a face full of admiration.
"Kakarot has fought him?" Bardock was quite surprised; he hadn't expected his younger son to have such an experience.
"And Dad even fused with Uncle Broly! Brotot was super powerful after they fused!" Goten became more excited as he spoke, looking as if he wanted to perform the feat right then and there.
"Stupid Goten, that's called Karoly, not Brotot," Gohan corrected him helplessly. "And that's called Fusion, not Potara fusion."
"Uh..." Goten scratched his head, feeling a bit embarrassed.
"Fusion? What Fusion?" Bardock was stunned again, his face full of confusion.
"It's a way to merge through a special dance," Gohan explained. "It was only after Dad and Uncle Broly fused that they were able to defeat Lord Beerus."
"Fusion? I've never heard of it," Bardock frowned slightly, suddenly feeling a bit out of touch.
If even Bardock was listening in a daze, Raditz was even worse off. He felt as if he were listening to a fairy tale, blinking his eyes in total confusion.
What's a regular Super Saiyan? Can we speak a bit more clearly?
"It seems to be a Fusion technique from the Metamorans. It's quite troublesome to learn; the two people's movements have to be perfectly synchronized," Gohan patiently explained again, seeing their confusion.
Bardock nodded silently. It seemed there were many, many things he still needed to understand.
"Uncle Raditz, do you know how to hide your ki?" Gohan turned to look at the still-dazed Raditz and asked.
"Hide my ki? Like your dad and that green-skinned guy back then? The kind where you can control your power level at will? Is that what you mean?" Raditz blinked, then asked back with a hint of uncertainty.
"Yes," Gohan nodded, his eyes clear.
"No," Raditz shook his head without thinking and laughed. "Hiding one's power level is something only low-class warriors do. We upper-class warriors don't need that."
"So, the energy fluctuation currently coming from you, Uncle Raditz—is that your true power level?" Gohan asked with a smile, a trace of inquiry in his eyes.
"You know my power level reading?" Raditz was taken aback, raising an eyebrow in surprise.
"Through energy fluctuations, I can roughly calculate your power level value," Gohan mused, his tone calm.
"You can know my power level without a scouter?" Raditz was a little surprised, but then a proud expression appeared on his face as he urged, "Quick, tell me what my power level is! I've been through a thousand refinements in Hell; my power level definitely isn't low!"
"30,000," Bardock spoke up suddenly, his tone flat, as if he were stating a simple fact.
"Correct," Gohan turned to look at his grandfather, Bardock, and after a quick estimation, felt his grandfather was spot on, so he nodded in agreement.
"Dad, you can also know my power level without a scouter?" Raditz was stunned, his eyes full of amazement.
"It's simple. Once you master the technique of sensing energy, you can roughly estimate it," Bardock answered calmly.
"Power level of 30,000," Gohan repeated quietly to the side, secretly wiping some sweat from his brow.
This power level, in their current eyes, was simply incredibly weak.
"Kid, how about it?" Raditz proudly patted Gohan's shoulder, his smile becoming even more brilliant. "My current power level has already surpassed Prince Vegeta's from back then! Impressive, right?"
"Brother, what's my power level?" Goten suddenly became interested and leaned in toward Gohan, asking expectantly.
After all, Goten had never lived through an era where power was measured in numbers. Not just Goten, but even Future Trunks had never experienced such a period.
"Your power level?" Gohan scratched his head and mused, "That... might be hard to calculate."
"How could it be hard to calculate? Tell me what your brother's power level is! Say it so I can have a good laugh," Raditz chuckled, his interest piqued.
"What is Goten's power level?" Gohan was a bit undecided.
"Goten, you don't need to transform. Go over there and release your energy so I can see," Bardock pointed to a clear space in the distance.
"Okay, Grandpa!" Goten nodded and immediately ran over excitedly.
"Dad? What the hell? Why does he have to run that far just to release his energy?" Raditz looked confused.
Bardock ignored him.
"Grandpa, Brother, I'm going to start now," Goten's expression became a bit more serious.
Bardock and Gohan both nodded.
"What's the big deal? It's just releasing energy," Raditz snorted.
"BOOM!"
Energy erupted from Goten's body, and the powerful aura immediately kicked up layer after layer of storms. Fortunately, Gohan had been prepared and immediately raised a protective barrier to block the storm's onslaught. The main reason was that the table and plates hadn't been cleared yet; he didn't want the energy release to break the dishes.
Raditz's mouth twitched slightly. Although I can't sense how strong his energy is, why does it feel so terrifying?
"Grandpa, Brother, what's my power level?" Goten asked expectantly.
"What is Goten's power level?" Gohan was a bit undecided, his brow furrowed slightly.
"It really is hard to judge," Bardock mused from the side, a trace of thought in his eyes.
"If we calculate based on Frieza's power level... I remember Frieza at full power had a power level of about 100 million," Gohan rubbed his chin and thought aloud.
"Wh-What did you say?" Raditz's mouth twitched violently, and he let out a startled cry, his eyes bulging. Frieza's power level was 100 million? How was that possible!
"You're joking, right?" Raditz hurriedly wiped the sweat from his face, feeling the number was far too outrageous.
"Shut up!" Bardock glared fiercely at Raditz and barked, "Listen carefully and don't interrupt!"
Raditz was startled by Bardock's intensity and didn't dare say another word, closing his mouth obediently, though his face was still written with disbelief.
"If we estimate based on Frieza's power level, Goten's current power level is at least over 1 billion," Gohan guessed, combining his senses.
"Wh-What did you say?" Raditz cried out again, unable to help himself this time. This kid's power level is ten times Frieza's? You've got to be joking! How is that possible!
"Yeah, I feel it's around that value," Gohan nodded, his tone certain.
"Eh? Brother, is my power level 1 billion?" Goten was stunned, hardly able to believe his ears. He looked back toward Raditz and couldn't help but ask, "Uncle Raditz's power level is 30,000. Between 'billion' and 'thousand,' which one is bigger?"
Gohan: "..."
"99,990,000 plus another 10,000 is 100 million," Gohan explained patiently.
Goten rubbed his head and counted on his fingers for a long time. He couldn't figure out exactly how many times stronger he was than Raditz, but he knew it seemed to be a lot, lot more.
The corner of Raditz's eye kept twitching, his face was pale to the extreme, and his chest was heaving. You guys must be joking, right? A power level of 1 billion? How is that possible! I just don't believe it!
"Hmph, a bunch of baseless nonsense!" Raditz stood up abruptly, clearly quite angry. He pointed at Goten and barked, "If your power level really is 1 billion, then do you dare take a punch from me?"
"Grandpa, Brother, can I?" Goten turned to look at Bardock and Gohan, seeking their permission.
Gohan also looked at Bardock, waiting for his decision.
"You can," Bardock nodded, a hint of expectation in his eyes. He also wanted to see just how overconfident Raditz could be.
"Goten, go easy on him. Don't break him," Gohan cautioned, fearing Goten might not know his own strength.
"I know, Brother!" Goten nodded and patted his chest in assurance.
"Hmph, kid, you're certainly confident!" Raditz didn't believe for a second that Goten was that strong. With a cold laugh, he pushed off the ground and rushed toward Goten, his sandbag-sized fist carrying a sharp wind as he threw a heavy punch at him.
"Clap!"
Goten unhurriedly raised a single finger and easily caught Raditz's incoming fist. The movement was smooth and effortless.
Raditz's expression instantly froze, the smile on his face solidified, and his complexion became exceptionally ugly, as if he had swallowed a fly.
"Is this the difference between 30,000 and 1 billion?" Goten couldn't help but scratch his head and mutter quietly, "I feel like Uncle Raditz is about the same level as that Idasa kid from the World Martial Arts Tournament."
Raditz: "????"
"Who's Idasa?" Raditz frowned and asked strangely, an ominous feeling rising in his heart.
"Just an ordinary 14-year-old kid. His power level is very average," Goten answered truthfully, his tone casual.
Raditz: "..."
Raditz felt his entire world crumbling. He was so angry his whole body was shaking, and the veins on his forehead were throbbing. Who are you trying to humiliate? What do you take me, a former upper-class warrior, for? You're actually comparing me to an ordinary Earthling kid?
"I don't believe it!" Raditz was furious. With a roar, he launched a storm-like barrage of attacks at Goten, using both fists and feet in sharp, fierce moves.
Goten still used only a single finger to easily deflect all of Raditz's strikes. No matter how much power Raditz put into them, he couldn't move forward even an inch.
"Clap!"
Seeing that he couldn't land a single scratch on Goten, Raditz immediately leaped backward to put some distance between them. His face looked as miserable as could be, his eyes filled with shock and frustration.
Can I really not even beat a little brat like this now? I'm an upper-class Saiyan warrior!
"Uncle Raditz, you're really weak," Goten said, looking at the panting Raditz. He couldn't help but sigh, his voice filled with pure innocence and confusion.
"You... what did you say?" Raditz felt a massive wave of humiliation. His face turned beet red, and the hand he pointed at Goten was trembling.
"I haven't even turned into a Super Saiyan yet. If I transform, I'll be much stronger," Goten added flatly, as if he were stating the most ordinary fact in the world.
"Turn into a Super Saiyan?" Raditz was stunned, his eyes bulging. "What on earth is that?"
"It's this." As Goten spoke, a dazzling golden light suddenly erupted from his body. His hair instantly stood on end and turned gold, and his eyes became sharp. He had directly triggered the Super Saiyan transformation, sending a powerful aura rippling through the air.
Raditz was struck dumb once again, his mouth hanging open wide enough to fit an egg. He stared blankly at the transformed Goten.
He can actually change into this? Is this... a Super Saiyan?
"Just a side note: this transformation increases one's power level by fifty times," Gohan explained helpfully from the side, his tone relaxed.
"You... you said fifty times?" Raditz was floored. He was so shocked he started to stutter. "Then doesn't that mean..."
"So, Goten's current power level is about 50 billion. Of course, these are just my rough estimates, but they should be pretty close," Gohan said with a smile, sounding very casual.
"A power level of 50 billion!" Raditz felt like he wanted to curl up and die. His vision went dark, and he nearly fainted.
Can we not be so ridiculous? Has power really reached the height of 50 billion? This was completely beyond the scope of Raditz's understanding!
"Super Saiyan! So this is a Super Saiyan?" Raditz suddenly snapped out of it, looking Goten up and down. His eyes were filled with awe and a faint, barely noticeable trace of envy.
"This is just a regular Super Saiyan transformation. What Uncle Broly does is the Legendary Super Saiyan, which is way more powerful than this," Goten explained, his voice full of admiration for Broly.
Raditz's head was filled with question marks; he couldn't understand a word they were saying. Regular Super Saiyan? Legendary Super Saiyan? Was there a difference? Was it a big difference?
"Uncle Raditz, I can even turn into Super Saiyan 2," Goten grinned. The golden light around him became even more brilliant, and arcs of golden electricity began to crackle and pop around his body. He directly entered the Super Saiyan 2 state, his aura becoming several times stronger than before.
Raditz was stunned for a moment, but then he snorted and gave Goten a massive eye-roll. "What Super Saiyan 2? Aside from a bit more lightning, it doesn't look like much has changed. How much stronger could the power level possibly be?"
"Brother, how many times does Super Saiyan 2 increase my power level?" Goten turned to ask Gohan, his face full of curiosity.
"Super Saiyan 2 is twice as strong as a regular Super Saiyan, which means it's 100 times your base form," Gohan mused, doing a quick calculation. "So right now, Goten, your power level is roughly 100 billion."
Raditz: "..."
Raditz's face was pale to the extreme, his lips trembling. For a long time, he couldn't squeeze out a single word.
100 billion? Can we stop bragging? You've already blown the roof off with this tall tale!
"Next, there's also..." As Goten spoke, the energy in his body surged wildly again. His golden hair grew rapidly, quickly flowing past his waist. His eyebrows disappeared, and his aura became even more terrifying. This was the Super Saiyan 3 transformation!
After turning into a Super Saiyan 3, Goten's body blurred, and he vanished instantly. In a split second, he was back in his original spot, but he was now holding a mirror—clearly, he had just zipped off to grab it.
Goten checked out his new look in the mirror and nodded with satisfaction. He then looked at the dumbfounded Raditz and let out a proud little smile.
"Hey? Doesn't this transformation look a lot like Uncle Raditz? Especially this unique hairstyle," Goten said, looking back and forth between the mirror and Raditz. He asked curiously, not forgetting to run his fingers through his waist-length golden hair.
Raditz kept his mouth tightly shut and didn't say a word. He was clearly terrified by this transformation. His face was ghostly pale, his lips were quivering, and his eyes were filled with pure horror.
"But come to think of it, if Uncle Raditz could turn into a Super Saiyan, he'd probably start at Super Saiyan 3 right out of the gate, wouldn't he?" Gohan said, struggling to hold back his laughter as he spoke with mock seriousness.
Bardock: "..."
Goten: "????"
Goten caught on quickly and immediately understood the underlying joke. He nodded vigorously, joining his brother in teasing Raditz.
"Super Saiyan 3? You guys have to be joking," Raditz felt himself losing his grip on reality. Cold sweat poured down his forehead. He took a deep breath and couldn't help but ask, "So... how much does this transformation increase your power level?"
"I believe it's 400 times the base form," Gohan said, scratching his head in mock contemplation. "So Goten's power level right now should be 400 billion."
Raditz fell silent again. He opened his mouth but couldn't make a sound. He just stared blankly at Goten as if he were looking at a monster.
400 billion. That number sounds like a fairy tale. Are you serious?
"There's also Super Saiyan 4," Goten added, as if he felt Raditz hadn't been stimulated enough. His tone carried a hint of showing off.
"You... what did you say?" Raditz's eyes bulged in shock. His face was written with disbelief, and he even wondered if he was hallucinating.
"Rumble!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Goten's body underwent another startling change. Red fur covered his entire body, a tail grew back, and his gaze became even sharper. This was the Super Saiyan 4 transformation!
An aura several times more powerful than before swept out, making the surrounding air feel as if it had frozen solid.
Seeing Goten's new form, Raditz had completely descended into a state of bewilderment. He rubbed his eyes vigorously and even pinched himself hard, but his face remained full of utter disbelief.
Everything was simply too far beyond his imagination.
"Brother, how many times does Super Saiyan 4 increase my power?" Goten turned to ask Gohan, his voice full of curiosity.
To be continued…
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